The Demon Tamer
by trallgorda
Summary: Inuyasha and Sesshomaru held prisoner by the Demon Tamer! Last chapter up! Please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Prologue

Sesshomaru walked along the forest path, listening very carefully. He knew something or someone was here, and he knew that it was looking for him, but what or who it was or how close was almost possible to determine.

He stopped, feeling some misgivings for leaving Rin with Jaken. He knew that his little henchman wasn't overly fond of the girl, but he sometimes worried that these periods of enforced togetherness would leave a more negative mark on Rin that they would Jaken. Could he trust Jaken to properly care for Rin while he was away?

Sesshomaru pushed his thoughts away; trying to focus on the matter at hand. Of course Jaken would take care of Rin, he was completely loyal and trustworthy. He would do as he was bid.

Sesshomaru froze as the forest around him went absolutely still. Something was definitely here, all right. Slowly he pivoted on one foot, turning about and looking around. Where was it? Where _was_ it?

The attack happened so quickly that he was actually taken by surprise. Some _thing_ leapt out at him, jaws opened wide to grab him. He dodged, but only barely in time. It came at him again, snarling, and this time the jaws connected. Instead of feeling fangs sink into his flesh, however, he felt teeth take hold of the back of his clothing.

"You do not know who it is you have attacked," Sesshomaru told the strange beast angrily. "Release me."

"Quiet, little man," he heard a deep rumbling voice say. It seemed to come from the beast. "You are invited by my lady to join her at her castle."

Sesshomaru was too perplexed by the beast to pay much attention to what it said. It looked like a demon, acted like a demon, had powers like a demon, and spoke with a voice like a demon's, but it lacked a demon's scent. It did, however, reek of some form of magic.

Just then the sense of what the beast was saying struck home. "What do you mean?" he demanded, trying to pull away.

"Simply what I've already told you," the beast rumbled. "Stay quiet now, it's a long trip back, and I need to save my breath for running."

Sesshomaru was given no chance to say anything else for the beast took a mighty spring and began running, taking him toward its mistress. Sesshomaru felt anger building in his chest. How dare they kidnap him like this! He willed himself to transform to his dog form so that he could battle with this creature, but he felt something heavy and suffocating close around him, making it difficult to see or breathe. Blackness closed around him, holding him immobile.

He came to when he felt water dripping on his face. His eyes opened and for the first time he got a good look at this creature. It looked like a large white wolf with several tails, and water was dripping from its paw.

"Don't try that again," it told him. "The next time you might really suffocate, and then there will be no help for you. You'll be dead, and not even my mistress will be able to bring you back then."

"What happened?" he asked, sitting up. He, Sesshomaru, actually felt _weak_! What had been done to him?

"A spell of my mistress's," the beast explained. "It makes a guest's journey to her less difficult for me to manage. Will you be carried as before, or will you ride on my shoulders?"

Rather than suffer the indignity of being carried like a pup, Sesshomaru chose to ride. As the beast carried him away, he hoped that Jaken was watching after Rin properly, and that he would find some way to exact revenge on this "mistress."


	2. Chapter 1

Okay, here's Chapter 1! I couldn't wait to update this one!

Chapter 1

Everyone was asleep around the campfire that night, except for Inuyasha. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't settle down. He'd tried counting sheep, reciting songs to himself, and thinking of boring things, but none of it seemed to be working. In the end, he stretched out and lay looking up at the stars, trying to pick out constellations. Every now and then a shooting star would appear, and he would watch it until it winked out. He was just beginning to nod off when he heard someone or something coming.

He was on his feet in seconds with Tetsusaiga out and ready. The others woke up when he started shouting.

"All right, I know you're there, you'd better show yourself!" he yelled into the bushes. Whoever was there couldn't help but hear him.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, pulling out her bow. "Is it a demon?"

"Something like it," he muttered, waiting.

Jaken's head pushed through the bushes. "It is only us!" he cried, shaking.

"Us?" Miroku demanded.

Rin popped her head out of the leaves.

"Oh." He abruptly put the prayer beads back around the wind tunnel.

"Jaken," Inuyasha snarled, glaring at Sesshomaru's little toady. "What do you want? Sesshomaru want another battle or something?"

Kagome groaned in exasperation. "Will you give the whole rivalry thing a rest?"

"Lord Sesshomaru did not send me," Jaken said, leading Rin out of the bushes. "I came on my own."

"What for?" Sango asked suspiciously.

"Well... I ..ah..." he sputtered, trying to explain.

"What Jaken means to say is, 'Have you seen Lord Sesshomaru?'" Rin put in, smiling when Jaken glared at her.

"What, don't you two know where he is?" Kagome asked, surprised.

"No, we were hoping you knew!" Jaken suddenly wailed, plopping down onto the ground and holding his head in his hands. "He has been gone three days already! We found signs of a battle, and we had no idea what had happened to him! Rin found something, though, next to a river..."

"What is it, Rin?" Kagome asked, kneeling down next to the girl.

Rin held out a small piece of white fur that had plainly come from Sesshomaru's clothing.

Everyone stared at it.

"Okay, it's a bit of fur," Inuyasha said, folding his arms and sitting down. "Thanks for stopping by to tell us."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said in shock. "Don't be rude!"

"Wha'd I do?" he demanded, seeing Kagome's glare. "I said 'thanks'!"

"They're worried," Kagome whispered, trying to make the matter plain to him.

"Yeah, so?"

"They want our help finding him," Sango whispered, putting her bit in.

Inuyasha's eyes bugged. "Absolutely not!!" he snapped. "I'm not about to stick my neck out for him!"

Shippo, who had been silent up until now, put in his opinion. "I think we should help them. If they came to you, then they must have been pretty desperate."

Inuyasha reached out to whack Shippo on the head, but a warning glare from Kagome stopped him.

"Look, it doesn't matter if you guys think we should help them or not, I'm not gonna have anything to do with the matter!" he said, getting to his feet. "It's Sesshomaru's problem, not mine, and..."

The dangerous look on Kagome's face stopped him, but it was too late. He knew what was coming.

"Sit, boy!"

WHAM!

As soon as he was able to lift his head, he glared at her. "Whadja do that for?"

"They are worried, and we're going to help," she said, stamping her foot for emphasis on the word 'help.'

"Fine," he said, getting up and brushing himself off. "Have fun. I'm heading back to the village."

"Sit!!!"

WHAM!

"WHAT?" he snarled, ready to kill her.

"You're going to help, too," Sango said, grinning. "After all, who's better at finding trouble than you?"

The look on Inuyasha's face grew dark and forbidding. "I absolutely will not, and if you think..." His voice trailed off as Rin came over and took his hand in hers, her eyes pleading with him. When one little tear fell, he muttered something, but turned to Kagome. "All right, I'll do it."

Kagome smiled, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and he was surprised when Rin did the same.

"Good, I'm glad," Kagome said, as Miroku and Sango smiled at him. "Shall we start first thing in the morning?"

"Why not now?" Jaken asked, beginning to do what Kagome called "freaking out."

"It's still night, and Rin is tired," Sango said, tucking the girl into a blanket. "We'll go in the morning. How much do you expect to find in the dark?"

Jaken mumbled to himself, but settled down nearby. Inuyasha, still having trouble believing that he'd succumbed to a pair of teary eyes, settled down as well. This adventure was going to be a real ball.


	3. Chapter 2

Inuyasha was getting sick and tired of hauling this kid around. For four days they had been searching for Sesshomaru, and for each of those days he had been carrying Rin. She had shorter legs than everyone else and would have held them up if they kept to her pace, but Miroku was strong as well, why couldn't he carry her for a while? He'd tried suggesting it, but nooo-oooo. Rin insisted on being perched on his shoulder like some kind of strange bird. It was getting tiresome, especially when she started singing about Sesshomaru and how he would come back to her.

"Give your voice a break, kid," he told her, setting her down when Kagome suggested stopping long enough to have lunch. "It's time to eat."

Rin smiled. "All right," she said, and she skipped off to help Kagome with her pack. She liked the cups of noodles that Kagome had brought, and she'd always hurry meal preparations so she could have some all the sooner.

Inuyasha dropped to the ground, too spent to move anymore or help out. Wisely, no one insisted. They knew he was constantly fighting to keep his temper in check, and that he carried Rin without complaint, and both of those things took a lot of energy to do, so they let him rest.

Kagome was just mixing up the noodles when Inuyasha jumped to his feet, ears a-twitch.

"What's the matter?" Sango asked, startled. Everyone else got up as well.

"There's something coming," he said, pulling out the Tetsusaiga. "Everybody keep your eyes open. Jaken?"

"Hmmm?" Jaken said, shaking the tiniest bit.

"Get Rin out of here," Inuyasha said, listening as hard as he could. "Keep her out of sight. Go with him, Rin."

"What if it is Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked, not willing to give up a chance of seeing her beloved protector.

"It isn't," Inuyasha promised. "It doesn't smell like him."

Everyone was surprised when Sesshomaru actually came through the trees, looking around as if troubled. "What is it?" he asked.

"Lord Sesshomaru!!" Rin cried joyfully, running up to him. "You have returned!"

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken said, relieved. "You came back! I was truly worried, milord!"

"Forgive me," he said to Rin. Jaken?"

"Yes, milord?"

"Have you taken good care of Rin?"

"Oh, yes, milord!" Jaken said, eager to reassure him.

"Spare me!" Inuyasha snapped, breaking in. "That isn't Sesshomaru!"

"What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked, looking at him.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, mentally bemoaning his rudeness. "Your brother isn't attacking you for once, and because of that you don't believe it's him? Come on!"

Sesshomaru smiled. "Come now, little brother. One would think you would be grateful for a respite."

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, pulling on his hand. "It is time to eat, and I am hungry. May we eat now?"

Sesshomaru surprised Inuyasha into almost dropping the Tetsusaiga by chuckling._ Chuckling._ Sesshomaru wasn't the type to chuckle.

No one seemed to find anything wrong with his picking Rin up and swinging her in the air to make her laugh, either, but that was what he did. Everyone sat down for lunch then, but Sesshomaru didn't eat, he didn't need to, after all. Inuyasha didn't eat either. He still had his sword out and ready, just in case this guy tried anything. It was funny, but during the whole of the conversation, Sesshomaru didn't say a word about where he had been. He had been missing for about a week, and he acted as if he had simply stepped off into the woods to find a place to relax for a few minutes. That wasn't normal.

"Rin was really worried about you," Kagome was saying.

"Yeah, she was worried," Inuyasha said, unable to keep quiet. "So where did you disappear to?"

Sesshomaru looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"You've been missing for about a week, and you don't even know what we're talking about?" Inuyasha said in disbelief. "You know, I'm thinking Tetsusaiga could get it out of you."

Slowly Sesshomaru got to his feet and stared down his brother. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, little man," he said, his eyes turning green.

"Tell us who you are!" Inuyasha snapped. "You're not Sesshomaru; you don't even _smell_ like him! Who are you?! What do you want?!"

Without a word, Sesshomaru sprang into the air, growing larger as he did so. When he changed into a white wolf with several tales, Inuyasha leapt after him, ready to fight. The beast turned, jaws gaping wide to bite.

As he grew closer to the wolf, Inuyasha saw that he wasn't going to come away from this clash without a serious bite. A broken or shattered leg, perhaps, but a bite and serious blood loss was a definite.

A flash of light past his head distracted him for only a moment. It was one of Kagome's sacred arrows! It hurtled right towards the beast's heart; leaving Inuyasha certain that the battle was over.

Down on the ground, Kagome gasped as her arrow passed right _through_ the beast. It wasn't possible! She couldn't miss anymore, why had she missed?

"That's not possible, is it?" Shippo asked in shock. "If it's evil, then it has to be destroyed by Kagome's arrow!"

"What if it's not evil?" Jaken asked, staring up at the battle.

Inuyasha was able to get in two hits before the beast knocked Tetsusaiga out of his hands. He tried using his claws, but the beast's fur was soft and thick and completely protected its skin. There was no cutting through it. When he tried to fetch his sword, Inuyasha was blocked on all sides by the wolf. There was no getting past him.

Kagome was just fitting another arrow to her bow and Sango was getting ready to jump into the battle when the beast turned, grabbed Inuyasha's coat in his teeth, and ran, taking Inuyasha with him.

"Kirara!" Sango called, and together Sango, Miroku, and Kagome took to the sky to chase after them. When they reached a point where they could search for them, there was nothing and no one to be seen.


	4. Chapter 3

Inuyasha would never admit it to anyone in his life, but he was scared out of his skull. This thing had just grabbed him and taken off, and now they were moving at a speed that was way too fast for his liking. Fear was what made him reach up and take hold of the thing's fur, for what if it dropped him? If he hit the ground at this speed, he could very easily be killed, half-demon or not. Hanging onto it gave him some insurance against being dropped and killed.

The sun was just setting when the wolf creature slowed, stopped, and set him down between its paws. Too weak with shaking to even sit up, Inuyasha stretched out on the ground, digging his fingers into the grass, trying to hold on and willing the world to stop rushing by him.

"Are you all right, little man?" the thing asked.

Inuyasha had closed his eyes, but he opened them when he still saw the world flashing by even beneath his eyelids. He stared up at the wolf-beast, wishing he had enough energy to use his claws on it. "I think so," he said weakly. "Where are we going?"

"My mistress has sent for you," it said, taking his coat between his teeth and moving him so that he rested against its side. "We will rest for a while since I could tell you needed a rest from running."

"How can you move that fast?" Inuyasha demanded, still feeling rather strange. "And why do I feel like this?"

"It's not uncommon to feel that way," it said, regarding him with luminous eyes. "Your brother all but fell from my back when we had arrived at my mistress's castle."

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha said, shocked.

"Yes," it said, giving him a wolfish grin. "He was quite docile after the last few miles, I can tell you. I went as quickly as possible to reach home all the sooner."

Inuyasha mulled this over. "Why has your mistress sent for me?"

"She did not tell me why," the beast said. "All that I was told was that I was to fetch you."

Inuyasha looked at him. He knew that some people pursued demons for spells or to kill them, but beyond that, he couldn't imagine why anyone would want him.

"You are worried?" the creature asked. "Don't be. My mistress is kind."

Inuyasha turned his head to look at him in disbelief. A kind person who ordered kidnappings? Unbelievable.

"You do not believe me," it said. "But do not doubt that she is kind. When we arrive, she will treat you as an honored guest and dear friend. You should have seen the way she treated Sesshomaru when he arrived. It is more likely that she will give you an even better reception when we get there. She was most interested in you."

"How did she find out about me?" Inuyasha asked, making his way shakily to his feet. His knees were practically knocking together.

The beast also rose. "I do not know since she did not tell me. Come now," it said, drawing closer to him. "You may ride on my back now. It will most likely be easier for you than being carried."

Inuyasha would have run then if possible, but with the way he was still shaking all over, it wasn't. The wolf-beast knelt down, making it easier for him to pull himself into place on its back. As soon as he was seated, the beast took off in an easy lope, and Inuyasha stretched himself on his stomach along its back and buried his face in its fur. He was going to be sick, he just knew it. Well, if he was, he could have some sort of revenge on this creature without repercussions.

Space

It was nearing dawn when the wolf slowed, causing Inuyasha to raise his head. Down a hillside, resting in a valley, was a castle that rivaled even Naraku's. It was surrounded by a large wall, but inside the wall he could see gardens and ponds. Was this where they were going?

As the wolf-beast trotted up to the gate, Inuyasha had no more doubts. In a few minutes he was going to meet this creature's mistress.

_I hope she's in the mood to meet a grouchy and nauseous half-demon,_ he thought. _Right now, I just want to _bite_ someone with the way I'm feeling._

The gate rose, and his escort went into the courtyard, kneeling so that Inuyasha could get down. He managed, but once his feet touched solid ground his knees buckled, leaving him on the ground again. Strong hands helped him to his feet, and he found himself staring at a young man dressed in white.

"Are you all right, Inuyasha?" he asked, still holding him up.

"Who..." he stammered, looking around for the wolf. "How..."

"This is my other form," the young man said. "It's more convenient to travel through the castle like this. Come," he said, leading Inuyasha toward the open door. "My mistress is waiting."


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters within this fic except those of my own making.

Chapter 4

Kaede stared at the crowd of people within her hut and reflected once again that she was too old to get mixed up in such matters. They had descended on her a few hours ago, told her an amazing story, asked for her help, and looked at her hopefully. What was she supposed to do, pull the answer out of her ear?

"And you say that the semblance of Inuyasha's brother become a great wolf-beast that carried him off?" she asked, poking the fire.

Kagome nodded.

"Is that Sesshomaru's usual form?" she demanded of Jaken, who looked as sad as if he had lost his only friend.

"No, it is not," he said. "Milord's form is that of a great white dog, not a wolf with many tails."

"He only looked like Sesshomaru in his human form," Sango put in. "Do you have any idea what that thing could have been, Kaede?"

"Some idea, but I do not know if it is the right one."

She saw everyone leaning towards her, eager for information.

"If the thing was not a demon, as Inuyasha said it wasn't, but it still reeked of magic, like you told me, Miroku, then it is possible that the beast is some sort of construct from a sorcerer."

"What would a sorcerer want with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked.

"I do not know," Kaede admitted. "Mayhap to use them for a spell or experiment, or to bend them to his hand so that he may use them to do his bidding. There are many possibilities."

"Will Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha be all right?" Rin asked forlornly.

"For the time being, they are, child," Kaede said, giving the girl a friendly smile. "We shall see what may be done for them, eh?"

"I wish there were a way we could see them," Sango said worriedly.

"There is," Kaede said, going over to a basket and taking something out. "It is not reliable, and it may not show you everything you need to know, but it is something."

"What is it?" Miroku asked as she held out a large clear crystal.

"It is a scrying crystal," she told them. "Thoughts of the one you wish to see is all that is needed to make it work."

"May we try it now?" Kagome asked, worried for Inuyasha.

"Of course," Kaede said, looking at it. Within a moment, it burned a bright white and changed to show a picture....

Space

Inuyasha allowed himself to be led through the corridors of the castle like a child. Indeed, he had little enough energy to do anything else, and he certainly wasn't up to an escape attempt. His escort, who still hadn't given his name, led him through hallways and rooms, and at last into a large receiving room. At first he saw no one, but at the further end of the room he spotted a woman seated on a cushion.

"Mistress," the wolf-beast/human said as he kneeled. "I have brought you Inuyasha, brother to Sesshomaru."

"You have done well, Tala," the woman said, smiling as Tala brought Inuyasha forward to stand in front of her. "Leave us now. I will not require your services for a few days. Refresh yourself."

Tala bowed and left, leaving Inuyasha standing by himself. He looked at her, and felt that a person with such power should not look so _normal_. She was dressed well and her hair was done nicely, but that was all that was extraordinary about her.

"Have a seat, Inuyasha," she said, pointing to a cushion placed near her for his benefit. "You must wonder why you have been brought here."

"That crossed my mind, yeah," he said, sinking down onto the pillow. "Why'd you have me kidnapped like that?"

"Well, would you have come if you had received an invitation from a strange woman you did not know? You would have been suspicious and would not have come."

Inuyasha thought about this. It made sense. "Why did you want me to come here at all?"

She smiled. "Because I wished you to," she said. "That is all."

Inuyasha looked at her. Was she crazy?

"You had me kidnapped just because?" he said in disbelief as he got to his feet and turned away. "I'm out of here."

"_Stay_," she said, her voice sounding strange.

He stopped in his steps, and no matter how he tried, he was unable to go any further.

"_Come here_."

To his horror, Inuyasha felt himself turn and begin to walk back to her.

"Good," she said as he stood before her once again. "Within this room all are subject to my will, Inuyasha. All I need to say is a word, and you shall do whatever you're told. Do you understand?"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. This witch was too scary for words. Kaede's necklace made him obedient to Kagome's one word of _sit_, but she was able to do the same thing without a necklace. Creepy.

"Perhaps you would like to see your brother?" she said, ringing a small bell. "He will be along soon. While you're here, Inuyasha, I expect you to obey me. If you do not, I will force you to. Do you understand?"

"Force me?" Inuyasha said. "How?" He did _not_ like this woman. Who was she to just step in and tell him that he now had to obey her.

A knock interrupted his thoughts, and at the lady's request that the person without enter, the door slid back and revealed Sesshomaru.

"Ah, Sesshomaru, lovely to see you," the lady said sweetly. "Come here, please."

Without a word or outward sign of rebellion, Sesshomaru did so. Inuyasha was shocked: Sesshomaru did not follow orders, he gave them. What had happened to him?

"As you can see, Inuyasha, he is completely obedient. Give me a kiss, now," she said, tilting her face up towards Sesshomaru. He kissed her cheek.

Inuyasha looked carefully at his brother. There was something there that there hadn't been before: around his neck was a silver collar. Was that it?

"It's the collar, as you've probably guessed," she said, smiling. "I won't hold your early disobedience against you, Inuyasha, but if you do not want a collar you had best obey."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kaede sighed as the crystal grew dark.

"What happened?" Kagome asked, still staring at the crystal. "Is it broken?"

"Nay, child, it is not broken, but a crystal is not always the most reliable way of seeing," the old priestess explained. "It will only work for so long while you use it, so watch everything that happens carefully. It will be up to whoever sees it to remember what is going on."

"Okay, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are trapped with a beautiful woman," Miroku said, shaking his head. "How lucky _they_ are."

Everyone glared at him.

"I was being sarcastic," he said, holding up his hands to ward off any blows. "I would hate to have to obey every command given me, and I think it's awful that they're trapped there. What if she ordered them to attack someone? Inuyasha would never forgive himself, so we must get him out of there as soon as possible."

"Miroku's right," Sango said. "We should start searching."

"Now hold on a moment," Shippo said, using every inch of his tiny height to get their attention as he stood. "We don't even know where that place is, and you want to go running off to find it. We should at least try to learn where to look."

"Agreed," Kagome said, stringing her bow. "Kaede, do you know of where any sorceresses might be?"

Kaede thought for a moment, trying to remember all that she had ever heard about sorceresses. "There had been word of one about ten years ago who made her home in the mountains to the north, but that is all I know."

Shippo thought about this. "That woman's castle lay in a valley. D'you think it could be the same one?"

"It's possible," Sango said, standing. "Why don't we go check it out? If Inuyasha isn't there, then we'll know to keep searching."

"Don't you leave without me!" Jaken cried, leaping up. "I am coming to search for Lord Sesshomaru!"

Rin also jumped up.

"No, Rin, you must stay here," Jaken said, trying to placate the determined child. "Lord Sesshomaru would never forgive me if anything were to happen to you."

"I think Jaken's right, Rin," Kagome said, grabbing her backpack. "If we run into trouble there's no guarantee we could keep you safe."

"_He_ is going," she said, pointing at Shippo. "Why can't I?"

"Shippo's able to protect himself," Miroku explained. "If the trouble is too dangerous, he's still able to confuse any opponents without even fighting. If you are able to do the same, I have yet to see it."

She didn't look happy, but Rin agreed to stay with Kaede until they returned. Jaken told her that she could learn all sorts of things in the village with Kaede, so she had better learn well, and Lord Sesshomaru would be pleased with her if she did. That contented her, and she waved goodbye as they left.

"What could she learn in the village, Kagome?" Shippo asked curiously as they sat on Kirara's back.

"Just about anything, I guess," Kagome answered. "Kaede's a good teacher. She taught me all about herbs and healing, and there's a _lot_ to learn about that. There's stuff she could learn to do, like sew or weave baskets, and I'm pretty sure that she'd like to make a present for Sesshomaru."

Shippo laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We shouldn't worry about her."

"I just hope the child stays out of trouble," Jaken said. "If I had hair, it would be gray by now because of her. One afternoon she dragged me along while looking for flowers to pick, and that little adventure still gives me nightmares! She managed to get us lost, to dangle dangerously over a precipice, to cross a chasm on a rickety old log, and she angered a family of wolves. Half a dozen chances to get herself killed, and Lord Sesshomaru wanted to know why I didn't watch more carefully!"

Miroku chuckled. "Ah, nothing like the presence of a child to make life worth living, eh?"

Jaken glared at him and grumbled until they set down to make camp for the night.

Space

Inuyasha was worried about Sesshomaru, and that in itself was a rare thing. After being told by the witch how happy she was to have him, she told him to go and clean up at the bath house. At her behest, dozens of little furry creatures scurried into the room, making a racket as they did so. They were her servants, she said, and they would attend him. She ordered Sesshomaru to go as well so that the two brothers could relax together and talk.

_Who is she kidding?_ he wondered as he followed Sesshomaru out of the castle and across the small side courtyard to the bath house. _We loathe each other, and she acts as if we were old friends. Surely she can tell that the feelings between us aren't exactly friendly._

Once he was in the bath house, Inuyasha didn't get much time to think. The little furballs were frighteningly efficient: within moments his clothes were gone and he was seated on a stool, being doused with hot water. After that he was scrubbed until he was positive he had lost a layer of skin, and he was splashed with cool water that made him yelp in the heat of the bath house. His hair was soaked with more hot water and washed, and he was convinced that his scalp was going to part company with his skull from the way they tugged at it while scrubbing. More cold water was used to rinse it, and he was led to a large tub with a fire underneath it. At their insistence he slipped into it, not moving much since it would make the water feel even hotter. Sesshomaru slipped into a tub next to his.

"How do you feel?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Scoured and scalped," Inuyasha said, examining his skin. "Are they always that rough?"

His brother nodded. "What's worse, you have a bath every day here."

"What if you don't need one every day?"

Sesshomaru shrugged. "It's still what she wants you to do, so you do it."

Inuyasha stared at him. "Sesshomaru, what happened to you? You're completely different! I mean, you're not ready to fight me, and you're following her orders without a word! What's the matter with you?"

"One of the reasons why I'm this way now is because I fought for the first two days after I arrived. It's infuriating, because I couldn't even get close enough to her to touch her, let alone slash her head from her neck. I'm exhausted, and once I collapsed from the battle, she simply came to my side and placed the collar around my neck. Now I have no choice but to obey her," he said, clenching a fist. "After that, I had to spend two hours with her every afternoon, and the worst thing is that she insisted I sit right next to her, and there were always plenty of small orders that I had to comply with. I always try to fight this damned collar, but it leaves me exhausted each time I try. The other day I fell asleep and I awoke with my head on her knee. She was stroking my hair, and she told me that it was useless, I couldn't fight the collar."

"Can you attack her with that thing on?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I can't attack anyone. She hates to have her 'guests' fight, so each one with a collar isn't able to. Those without them do not fight, since doing so would assure being made to wear one."

Inuyasha thought about this. This was the longest conversation he'd ever had with his brother that did not include hurling insults back and forth. It was a bit scary.

"So, what do we do now?" Inuyasha asked, feeling adrift.

"Frightened?"

"No!" Inuyasha snapped, glaring at his brother. "Just worried. What'll happen next?"

"For you, most likely a meal and rest," his brother said, getting out of the tub and wrapping up in a towel. "Tala most likely snatched you and hasn't let you have much time to rest or eat, right?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, getting out as well. It was good he was going to get something to eat soon, he was starving!

"Well, let's get dressed and go back to see her; she'll order what you need."

Inuyasha was more than ready to do that, but before they could, their furry attendants made them sit down on a bench outside once they had their clothes on. Their hair was rubbed with towels until dry, and then they had to sit still while it was combed out. As rough they had been before, they were surprisingly gentle with the combs. It reminded Inuyasha of the time Kagome had said "sit!" until he stayed in one place long enough to let her comb his hair out. It had looked, according to Kagome, like a bird's nest. He would never admit it to anyone, but having his hair combed by someone was oddly relaxing.

Once released from their ersatz hairdressers, the two brothers went inside, feeling almost ready to face the sorceress again.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Inuyasha sat very still, watching the woman out of the corner of his eye. After returning from the bath house, she invited them both to sit down and have a meal with her. Inuyasha really didn't have a problem with that, but what about Sesshomaru? He didn't eat human food.

_Now that I think about it, I really don't know _what _he eats_, he thought as the woman asked Sesshomaru something and he heard his brother answer.

"Well, Inuyasha," he heard the woman say a moment later. "I trust you are calmer than you were earlier?"

"Much calmer, thank you," he said, trying to be as polite as possible. He didn't want her to take offense and turn him into a toad or something. He felt his ears twitch, and he hoped that she thought it was something they did once in a while, rather than a sign that he was annoyed almost to the breaking point.

At that point, more of the furry servants came in, carrying trays of food and dishes. A table was set, and they gathered around it at her invitation. Sesshomaru was watching everything the servants did with rapt attention.

_What, has he never seen a table be set before?_ Inuyasha wondered. He thought about it, and realized that he probably hadn't. After all, he was a full demon, and he wouldn't need to eat or probably eat at a table like everybody else.

The woman served them both, and Inuyasha noticed that she served Sesshomaru out of blue dishes while she served him out of red ones. Perhaps the blue ones contained special food? He looked, but it looked like ordinary food to him. With rice, korokke, nikujaga, sashimi, pickled vegetables, and sweet dumplings, he was beginning to feel much better. Whoever this woman had cooking for her, he or she was a genius and a master!

"Excuse me," Inuyasha said as she poured tea for them both. "May I know your name, please?"

She looked at him and smiled the slightest bit. "Sesshomaru told me that you hadn't the slightest idea of good manners, but you seem to be doing all right," she said, sounding amused. "Why did you tell such tales, Sesshomaru? I'm actually impressed with him."

Inuyasha didn't know if he should be embarrassed or angry. Of course he had manners! His mother had taught him when he'd been a whelp and now that Kagome was around, he was never allowed to be anything but excruciatingly polite.

"Sesshomaru and I aren't exactly close, and he never met the ones who taught me manners," he said as politely as he could. "It's all right that he didn't know." He felt his ears twitch again.

The woman chuckled. "Well, you'll have a chance to become closer here," the woman said, handing them both their cups. "I am Kimi, and I am pleased to have you both."

Inuyasha didn't say anything but sipped his tea in reply. Kimi, "she who is without equal." He didn't know why that name worried him, but it did. Perhaps it was speaking about her magical abilities? He sincerely hoped not.

Kimi and Sesshomaru talked, and Inuyasha wondered if his brother was all right. "Sesshomaru" and "small talk" just did not go together, but there he was, chatting with the sorceress. What if there were something in the tea? He sniffed it, tasted it, but it was just like regular tea. What if it were just _his_ tea? It was possible.

"Oh, good heavens," Inuyasha heard some time later. Had he fallen asleep or something? It felt like it.

"I must apologize," Kimi said, rising. "I've kept you here all this time when you're probably dying for some rest."

Inuyasha rose as well, certain that he had been dozing the slightest bit. "It's all right," he said, not quite awake and not quite sure what to say. Should he apologize for falling asleep?

"Sesshomaru, would you show your brother to where the two of you are staying so that he may rest?" Kimi requested. She turned to Inuyasha. "Go with Sesshomaru," she ordered. "Rest up, and I'll see you later."

Inuyasha did as she ordered, too sleepy all of a sudden to argue or remember that he should thank her. _Yep, Kagome's got me under her thumb,_ he thought. _I'm worried about being polite to my jailer! Boy, I've gotten soft!_

He followed Sesshomaru down halls, up some stairs, and into a set of rooms. Screens separated the spaces from one another, and Sesshomaru showed him where he could sleep. Shrugging off his weariness, Inuyasha turned to face his brother.

"Could we talk?"

"If you can manage to get the words out of your mouth, then yes, we could," Sesshomaru snarled, beginning to pace. "I'm going to go mad here!"

Inuyasha remembered that Kimi had said "where the two of you are staying." So he and Sesshomaru were roommates? Oh, this promised to be interesting.

"I don't know how you've lasted this long and managed to remain so nice to her," Inuyasha said, having a seat on the floor. "How are you doing it?"

Sesshomaru stopped his pacing and looked at him. "I remind myself that if she takes offense, she could order me to do a lot of things I'd rather not do. She once ordered me to take a nap, and I did! A _nap_, as if I were a child! It's insufferable!"

Inuyasha stared at him, surprised. He knew Sesshomaru slept, but a nap? He couldn't believe it. "She can even order you to sleep?"

"Yes, she can," he snarled. "She can also order you to do anything else. There are other demons here, and one of them was ordered to stay the night with her after he tried to defy her several times. I don't know what happened that night, but he's been perfectly obedient ever since. I want to avoid _that_ at all costs!"

Inuyasha felt himself go cold as his imagination supplied him with lots of possibilities that could have happened.

"You'd better rest," Sesshomaru said after a few moments. "She'd want you to, and defiance is the surest way to get a collar. If a chance to escape presents itself, I'd want one of us to have his own will unimpeded."


	8. Chapter 7

To my Readers: I'm so glad you like my fic!! "Inuyasha" is one of my favorite animes, and I just couldn't resist writing this. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7

Kagome stared into the fire, wondering how Inuyasha was. Even after three days camping out in a cave up on the hill overlooking the sorceress' palace, they had learned nothing. They could see into the gardens using the binoculars that Kagome had brought with her, but they hadn't been able to spot Inuyasha. Occasionally they would see the large wolf that had taken Inuyasha coming or going, but beyond that, they had learned nothing.

"Can't sleep?" Miroku asked, sitting down across from her.

"Not really," she admitted, poking at the fire with a stick. She rather liked this cave: it had a natural chimney they could use so they could warm the place up safely. Sometimes it was chilly at night. "I'm worried about Inuyasha. He and Sesshomaru are trapped in there together, and what if they begin to fight? They could kill each other!"

"I don't think that this sorceress countenances fighting," Miroku said thoughtfully. "After all, it seems pretty quiet in those gardens."

Kagome was about to add to something, but noise from down the hill made them both go to the cave mouth and look down to locate the source. A demon-boy a little older than Shippo was running through the undergrowth down in the woods. A full moon lit the scene up as bright as day, and as he burst out into a clearing they saw that he was closely followed by the wolf.

"Get down!" Miroku hissed, pulling her out of sight. "We don't want him to know we're up here."

Kagome crouched beside Miroku and watched as the boy turned and, possibly as a last resort, attacked the wolf with his claws. The big creature sidestepped him easily, turned with lightning speed, and grabbed him, holding the boy's long hair in his mouth.

"Let me go! Let me go!!" the boy demanded, tugging at his hair in a futile attempt to release it. "I'm not going back there! My mother will kill that woman and use her bones to feed her pet snakes!"

"Calm yourself, little man," the wolf said dryly through the corner of his mouth. "My mistress has not given you leave to go, and she does not fear your mother." With that, the wolf carried him off through the trees back towards the palace.

Kagome allowed her muscles to relax and dropped to sit on the floor of the cave. That wolf was scary, and Inuyasha was trapped with that thing? How were they going to help him escape?

"Now that's interesting," Miroku said, coming to sit besides Kagome.

She stared at him. "How is it interesting?" she demanded, wondering if the monk had gone off his nut.

Miroku gazed over to where Shippo was curled up asleep on Kagome's sleeping bag. "Because I think it's just given me an idea of how to break in there."

Space

Inuyasha woke up to doors sliding back and forth all through the part of the house where he and Sesshomaru were. He looked to where Sesshomaru _should_ have been sleeping, but found an empty bed. Curious, he got up and went to see what was causing all the noise. Outside on the balustrade he met Sesshomaru, who was staring out into the woods.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Someone escaped, but Tala brought him back," Sesshomaru said with no inflection.

"Oh." Inuyasha leaned on the railing, wondering if anyone could ever escape from here and _stay_ free. Every attempt had been thwarted by Tala or Kimi. He headed back to bed, hoping that Kagome and everyone else was all right.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Shippo folded his arms in a stubborn gesture of defiance and glared at the rest of the group. "No _way_," he said, daring them to insist. "There's no way I'm doing it. Not in million years would I do something that crazy!"

"Come on, Shippo," Kagome pleaded. "We _have_ to know what's going on in there, and you're our one chance of knowing!"

"What, you think I'm going to let that wolf-creature catch me and take me there?" Shippo demanded. "No! Never! Absolutely not!"

"You're not scared, are you?" Miroku teased.

"No!"

"Are you sure?" Sango wanted to know. "You seem scared."

Shippo glowered at her. "What if I need you guys while I'm in there? It's not as if I can hop on out and tell you!"

Kagome understood. "I have something for that," she said, opening up her bag. "They're called walkie-talkies, and you can have one while we have the other. You'll be able to talk to us on them, just as long as you stay out of sight and other people's hearing while using yours." Quickly, she gave everyone a lesson on the use of walkie-talkies, and Shippo began to look thoughtful.

"Well, how 'bout it, Shippo?" Miroku asked hopefully. "Willing to try it?"

Shippo looked at the walkie-talkie he held and smiled a little. They were fun to play with, there was no doubt about that. If he could keep in contact with his friends, and still have a chance to play with them, then he was willing to try it.

"All right," he said, sighing. "We can try. How do you think I should be found? Scared, lost, and hungry; or sleeping and too cute to resist?"

Everybody smiled.

Space

Inuyasha threw a mental rope around his temper and reined it in tight. This meal was beginning to fray his nerves, and he had a bad feeling that if he snapped in Kimi's sight and hearing, he'd end up with a collar on literally as well as figuratively. He could tell that Sesshomaru was close to breaking point, but he was keeping himself calm, he said, by imagining clawing the woman to death. He shuddered mentally. He wasn't as bloodthirsty as Sess, but if he had to keep this up much longer, he'd probably want to do the same.

A knock at the door interrupted, and Kimi bade whoever it was to enter. It was Tala, and Sesshomaru actually growled. He hated Tala for bringing him here and had sworn to kill him as well.

"Sesshomaru," Kimi said in reminder and subtle reprimand. He subsided. "Tala, what is it?"

There was a little bundle in Tala's hands. "A little demon, mistress," he said quietly. "I found him asleep out in the forest, and it looks as if he's come a long way."

Inuyasha nearly choked when he saw that Tala held Shippo. He'd been wrapped up in Tala's jacket, and at the moment looked as if he were deeply asleep. He was, as Kagome would have said, too cute for words.

"Oh," Kimi breathed, delighted with the little fox kit. She reached out and stroked his hair, fluffing the ends of it. Inuyasha had noticed that if someone had hair, she had to play with it. The other day she had combed his out for him, much as Kagome had done. She had done the same for Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha was now bound by his word of honor to never say anything about it to anyone, anytime. If it hadn't been for the fact that he'd destroyed Yura of the Hair past the point of return, he would have suspected some kind of re-incarnation.

"Thank you very much, Tala," Kimi said, providing a cushion for Shippo to lie on. "Leave him here, please."

Tala did so and left, leaving the three alone with Kimi.

"Well, it looks as if we have a new one," Kimi said, regarding Shippo lovingly. "Isn't he _precious_?" she gushed, looking to the brothers for agreement.

Inuyasha almost burst out laughing as he imagined Sesshomaru agreeing that Shippo was precious. He covered his mood by remarking that he was awfully small.

"Well, he's still young, isn't he?" Kimi countered. "He'll grow." She began fixing a plate for him, and held it near his nose until he wiggled, sniffed, and woke.

Inuyasha had never seen Shippo curl up and tremble before when it was only a pretty lady facing him, but that was what he did. Kimi hastened to reassure the little demon, and a few minutes later, Shippo was on her lap and nibbling away at the food she gave him.

_That little sucker is such an actor!_ Inuyasha thought. _He's got her right in the palm of his hand!_ After a moment of thought, Inuyasha lifted a sweet dumpling with his chopsticks and deposited it on Shippo's plate. He knew that Shippo liked them, and he deserved a bit of reward for coming straight into danger.

"Thank you very much!" Shippo said happily, abandoning his vegetables and digging into the dumpling.

Inuyasha almost chuckled. He was such a typical kid, and now he saw what his friends' plans were. Shippo was a spy in the enemy camp.


	10. Chapter 9

Hey, guys! A few words, first:

Artgirl 150—I'm updating, I'm updating!

White Wolf's Fang—no need to kiss my feet or die, thanks. I'm updating.

Chocobo-girl—glad you love it so much!

Jillytee—happy to amuse.

KC Whitestar—I love getting reviews, and I especially love the word you used: huggles. I use it all the time now.

Chibi Fluffy—no bloodshed, please!

AddictedtoInuyasha—hope this helps calm the cravings.

Okay, here it is: Chapter 9

Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Shippo were out in the gardens the next afternoon. Shippo was telling them all about the plan very quietly, and Inuyasha had to admit that he was impressed. That wily monk still had a few tricks up his sleeve, there was no doubt about that.

"So here I am," Shippo finished, toying with a blade of grass. "What do you do here all day? This is kind of boring."

Sesshomaru looked at him and muttered something about children.

"We lounge about looking decorative," Inuyasha said grimly. "And we try to not step on each other's toes too much. I'm getting sick of it, though, and I'm ready to do something drastic."

"I was ready long before this," Sesshomaru snarled, his claws digging into the ground for lack of anything else to throttle. "That _witch_—"

Inuyasha suggested that Shippo go have a look in the koi pond while Sesshomaru vented his anger using words that were not suited to a kit's ears. He sighed, thankful that Kimi was not around to hear. If she did, she'd be shocked speechless and order Sesshomaru only to speak when he had something nice to say. If that happened, Inuyasha was pretty sure that Sesshomaru would be permanently mute.

"Better?" Inuyasha asked once Sesshomaru had run out of steam.

"Better," he muttered. "I want _out!"_

"I know exactly how you feel," Inuyasha said, "but how—"

Noise cut him off. Roars, blasts, and shouted oaths and curses reached their ears. Inuyasha reflected that all of his hard work to keep Shippo's mind pure had just flown out the window at something that Kagome would call "warp speed." He and Sesshomaru ran to the source of the noise and spotted two demons in battle. It looked as if their tempers had snapped.

One of the demons had kicked the other into the far wall, crumpling it. Sesshomaru acted in a flash, grabbing Inuyasha and dragging him over to the open space.

"You don't have a collar," he said quickly. "You'd be able to run away and find a way to defeat her. Do it now while everyone's distracted."

"I don't run away from a battle!" Inuyasha protested, growing angry.

"You're running to find a way to defeat her, not running away in cowardice!" Sesshomaru hissed. "Don't be stupider than you already are and go!"

Vowing to get Sesshomaru back for the stupid remark, Inuyasha was up and over the wall in seconds. He'd have to find Kagome and the others, and together they could storm the place and battle Kimi. Hopefully a defeat was forthcoming.

He wasn't sure how long he ran, but when he stopped for a drink, he saw that it was sunset. He'd been going a couple of hours already. Maybe he'd better find a place to perch for the night and—

Hot, heavy fur suddenly enveloped him, and he felt his chest begin to cave. He struggled, then realized what it was that had attacked him.

"Tala!" he squeaked, unable to get anything more out. "Get off!"

Tala did so, but took hold of his jacket in his teeth. "Lady Kimi is not pleased," Inuyasha heard, and he felt his stomach sink. Maybe running off wasn't such a good idea.

Space

"Oh, no!" Kagome moaned, watching the scene in the crystal. "That wolf caught him."

Miroku swore, Sango groaned, and Kagome allowed the crystal to go dark. "Now what?"

"We'll have to think of something else," Miroku said thoughtfully. "Something she won't expect."

Space

Inuyasha sat on his mat on the floor, feeling ready to sink through it and disappear forever. Kimi wasn't just angry, she was about ready to do something serious. He'd been waiting ever since Tala had brought him back, and that just made it worse. Why didn't he think to check if he were being followed? Elementary rule of survival, always watch your rear!

Sesshomaru was brought in and made to sit down beside him. It looked as if Tala had pulled him all the way here.

"I want the truth," Lady Kimi said, glaring at them both. "Whose idea was it?"

Neither of them said anything.

"Tell me."

Silence.

Inuyasha remembered the one time he had tried lying to his mother and realized that the silence now was much like the silence then. He'd crumbled under the force of it and had told his mother the truth, but he wasn't about to tell _her_ anything!

"Very well, then. Come here, Inuyasha," she said sweetly, a tone that chilled him more than her anger had. Following the spell of the room, he rose and went to her, but vowed not to tell her anything.

"Kneel," she said, and he knelt.

"Look me in the eyes."

He had no choice but to obey, and he felt his mind open to the events of that afternoon and beyond. He fought against her intrusion, but she saw every moment he had lived, experienced all he had experienced, and she let him go only when she was satisfied. Her smile was very, very cold. "I see. I have a fitting punishment for the pair of you, I think. Come here, Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha sagged onto the floor, released by the compulsion, and he saw his brother approach her. _Don't look her in the eyes!_ he thought, unable to speak but Sesshomaru didn't hear him.

Her eyes locked with Sesshomaru's, and for a moment, it seemed as if nothing had happened. Then, his eyes changed, his fangs and claws disappeared, and he seemed different beyond the superficial changes. What had she done?

Sesshomaru broke away from the contact, howling, but it was an entirely human howl. Inuyasha gasped and made it to his feet, trying to calm Sesshomaru. What had she done to him?

"I've made him mortal," she said, sounding pleased with herself. "It looks like he can't handle human emotions. All the things he's done, the pain and death he's sown and seen…it's an awful lot, and he's just now realizing exactly what he's been doing all his life and what he's been seeing. Any normal human would have been driven mad by now."

"What have you done?" Inuyasha demanded. "He can't possibly survive this—he's not used to them—you _can't_ do this!!"

"I already have, my boy, don't you see?"

"But I'm used to emotions since I'm half human!" he protested. "He has no protection at all! It'll destroy him!"

She appeared to be considering his words, and with a small wave of her hand, Sesshomaru's howling stopped only to be replaced with racking sobs. "I've dampened them. He'll be able to live with them for now, but I won't take them away again. It is his punishment for thinking to defy me."

Inuyasha stared at her. This woman was mad, truly mad.

"And now," she said, advancing towards him. "I have a gift for you, my little runaway. Stay right where you are."

Inuyasha tried to run, but his feet were frozen to the floor. In her hands she held a collar.

"That's right now, what a good little boy," she cooed. "Let me put this on you."

He couldn't move, and he felt the brush of her cold fingers on his throat as she fastened the collar around his neck. It seemed as if a heavy blanket settled around him for a moment only to disappear a moment later.

"There," she said, looking pleased. "Now, to make sure you don't try to run off again…"

She looked at him, and suddenly he felt very peculiar. It seemed as if she and the room were growing bigger…in fact, everything seemed to be. What..?

"There," she said again, leaning down and picking him up. "I've always felt that small ones are more tractable, and they certainly can't climb over walls to run away."

"What have you done to me?" Inuyasha shrieked, startled at how high his voice was.

"What, you didn't realize?" she asked. "I've given you the body of a five-year-old, that's all. You'll spend the night with me, little one, and then you'll never want to run away from me ever again."


	11. Chapter 10

Okay, here's some more!

Chocobo-girl--Thanks for reviewing, glad that you like it so much! I can't believe I came up with someone as evil as Kimi! She's too creepy for words.

Chapter 10

Inuyasha wiggled and struggled all the way upstairs, but Kimi held him too firmly for him to get away. They approached a door, and behind it, a regular bedroom with another door in the far wall. They went through that door, and into a room that made Inuyasha feel very fatigued and suddenly very sleepy. He sagged against Kimi and almost shut his eyes, but only his suspicions kept him awake. Something in the room was making his ears go nuts, it was if there was something whispering words that he couldn't quite hear.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around as best he could.

"Oh, this is just where I bring my little ones to give them baths," she said sweetly. "Isn't it nice in here?"

Baths?! Oh, no way in all the nine hells was he going to let _her_ give him a bath! First of all, he hated her and did not want her to see him bare, and he was old enough to wash himself, thanks! There was something rotten here. He started to wiggle again, desperate to get away from her this time.

"That's enough," she said. "Stop wiggling and let me hold you."

The collar did its work, and he stopped.

"That's better," she said. He was settled on a bench next to a tub and she began undressing him.

"I don't need a bath!" he squeaked once his shirt was off. "I really don't! If you want me to have one I'll take one, but I don't need help!"

"Nonsense," she said, filling the tub(he could only guess that it was by magic, one second the tub was empty and the next it was filling). "I'm here to help make you comfortable."

"I'm plenty comfortable, thanks!" he squeaked, still frantic.

She simply smiled and scooped him up, settling him on a stool where he received a thorough scrubbing. Once rinsed, he was placed in the tub where the water almost reached his chin.

"Lean back," she said, and he obeyed. "Let the water relax you."

How could he not? It had been a while since he'd been able to stretch out fully in a tub, and it felt pretty good. His brain was still screaming at him to get away from her, but his muscles wouldn't obey.

"What's in the water?" he asked, noticing how cloudy it was.

"Just some herbs and a few special salts. They're to help you relax."

Help relaxing? He didn't need help relaxing now, he was half asleep. He felt his mind drifting, and he was almost asleep when he heard something that brought him almost awake again.

_Obey._

Kimi wasn't watching him, she'd brought out some needlework and was fiddling with it. He sat up the slightest bit and listened more carefully.

_Obey. Don't fight. Obey._

He shivered in spite of the hot water. Had he lost his mind and was hearing things?

_Don't worry. Don't fight. Obey Lady Kimi. Obey._

He twitched his ears and listened, trying to figure out where it was coming from. It sounded as if it were coming from everywhere, and it was a moment before he realized that it matched the feeling of sleepiness and abandon that permeated the room.

_I have to get out of here or I'll go under the spell,_ he thought, very frightened all of a sudden.

"Lady Kimi," he said, pretending that he was having trouble staying awake. "I'm sleepy now."

She smiled and set her needlework aside, lifting him out of the tub and wrapping him in a towel. A few moments later he was dry, and she dressed him in some sleeping clothes. They left the room, and he let himself sag against her, relieved that he could no longer hear the spell. As she tucked him into bed, he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, determined to fool her into thinking that her spell had worked.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sesshomaru crouched in the corner of the bedroom/living quarters that he and Inuyasha shared and tried to retain his feeble grip on sanity. How could that witch have done this to him, _how_? After she had taken Inuyasha away, Tala had escorted him back here, and he'd been crouching in the corner with his hands over his ears since then, trying to block out the memories and new emotions that were flooding his mind. He had no idea how long it had been, but it seemed like an eternity.

The door opened and he jumped to his feet, startled. When he had been a demon, he would have heard whoever it was coming. Was he going to spend the rest of his life jumping at little shadows? Was this how Inuyasha had been living his? He shuddered to think of it.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru," Kimi said, giving him a smile. "Did you have a pleasant night?"

He scowled at her. "I did _not_," he snarled, feeling anger that dwarfed his demonic rage. "Whatever it is you've done to me, undo it!"

"What's the matter?" she asked. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

_Bother_ him? Oh, this whole situation went far beyond bothering him! He was going mad, and she was simply standing there! He leapt, going for her throat, but his demonic abilities deserted him once she'd made him mortal. He fell short, landing painfully hard on the floor. A tiny figure came out from behind Kimi to stand by his side.

"Is he all right, Lady Kimi?" the little one piped. "He isn't hurt?"

"He's perfectly fine, little love," she cooed. "The only thing that's hurt is his pride. When he can control himself, you may bring him downstairs for breakfast. And Sesshomaru—" she said, going out the door, "If you injure him in any way, I'll make your transformation permanent."

Sesshomaru ground his teeth until the door was closed and she had gone away, then broke down. As a rule, there was no reason for demons to cry and they never did, and certainly never _male_ demons, but right now he couldn't help it. His human feelings were overpowering him again.

"Well, at least she's gone," Inuyasha said in tones of relief. "You okay?"

Sesshomaru snarled, suddenly angry. "What was all that 'Lady Kimi' and 'little love' stuff, eh? Are you one of her little pets now?"

"What makes you think I'd be _that_ stupid?" Inuyasha demanded. "I've still got some pride, ya know!"

Hearing a five-year-old speaking like that almost sent Sesshomaru into laughing hysterics. It just sounded so _strange_.

"She _thinks_ she's set a spell on me that will make me devoted to her, so I decided to let her keep thinking it. I'll be watched less after a while and I'll be able to escape," he explained.

"Not with that collar on," Sesshomaru reminded. "She could order you to come back, and you'll turn right around and come."

"I'll work on a way," Inuyasha heard himself promise. "She expects us to join her for breakfast. You've gotta be hungry by now."

"I'm all right," Sesshomaru said, knowing he was lying. "If 'being hungry' is a knot in my stomach that hurts like hell, then I'm definitely it."

Inuyasha hid a smile. Sesshomaru was even expressing himself like a human. "That's it. You're probably really hungry since you won't have eaten any human food ever, and you're body needs it."

"I can't believe I actually _have_ to eat now," Sesshomaru muttered in disbelief. "I'm like a human."

"Well, right now, you are," Inuyasha pointed out.

"Ah, don't remind me!" Sesshomaru almost wailed. "I can't stand it!"

"Hey, I know what it's like," Inuyasha assured him. "If you need someone to listen, I've got ears."

Sesshomaru nodded and followed his brother downstairs, stopping only when he remembered something and had to stop. A few minutes of tears made him feel better, but he was certain that he'd frightened Inuyasha since he'd used _his _shoulder to cry on.

"Last night must have been hell for you," Inuyasha said, but didn't say anything else.

Breakfast was torture. Kimi kept goading him, and only a warning shake of the head from Inuyasha kept him from flying off the handle. He managed to eat enough to still his roaring stomach, but the food did nothing to still his nerves or his anger. Being sent into the garden to have some air once the meal was over was a relief. There, Sesshomaru found a shady little bower where he could emote in private, with no comfort but the presence of the little brother that he had hated until only recently.

Space

_:You gotta get me outta here, Kagome!:_ Shippo pleaded over the walkie-talkie.

_:What's wrong?:_ she asked, frightened at the urgency in the little kitsune's voice.

Quickly, Shippo described what had happened to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru and heard Kagome gasp.

_:Hang in there a little longer,:_ she pleaded. _"We'll do what we can!:_

Turning off the walkie-talkie, she turned to Miroku and Sango.

"We have to get them out of there!"


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kagome, Sango, and Miroku were stumped. They knew they had to get Shippo, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru out of that witch's palace, but they didn't know how. Jaken wasn't being much help. Whenever he was asked to help out with plans, he asserted his belief that Lord Sesshomaru was already taking care of getting out of that awful place and there was no need for them to interfere.

"Listen, you little toad," Kagome said at last. "Shippo said that she turned Sesshomaru into a human! How much do you think he'd be able to do?"

"The little furball was lying, that's all," Jaken said, shrugging. "He was just trying to make us worry."

"Shippo doesn't lie!" Sango snapped, and Kirara growled at Jaken.

"Sango's right," Miroku said. "Shippo isn't the type to lie, and this bickering isn't getting us anywhere. Kagome, what if we used the crystal to check up on the three of them?"

"All right, but I don't know what good it's going to do," she said, handing it to Miroku.

Miroku stared at it, willing it to show Sesshomaru. They heard the sound of weeping, and Jaken's jaw dropped. The image the crystal showed them was one of Sesshomaru, stretched out on the ground crying, being comforted unsuccessfully in turns by a little Inuyasha and Shippo.

"I see what you mean," Jaken said once the image had faded. "Oh, we have to get my lord out of there!"

Miroku handed the crystal back to Kagome with a little wink and she took it, hiding her smile. Miroku was really clever sometimes.

"I've been thinking," Sango said a moment later. "Those collars make them unable to leave. How can we get them off?"

Miroku looked thoughtful. "Collars that make you obedient even if you don't want to be. That's one strong spell, we have to give the witch that."

"If only there was some way to make them listen to us instead of her," Kagome fretted, fiddling with her school uniform tie.

Miroku's eyes widened. "Oh! Kagome, you may just have found the way!"

"Huh?" she said, perplexed.

"What do you mean, Miroku?" Sango asked.

Jaken looked at him.

"_Sit_," he said significantly. "Inuyasha hasn't been able to ignore that command yet!"

"I don't see how that helps, to tell you the truth," Sango said.

"Yeah, my making him sit just keeps him in one place, and we have to get him out of there."

"Hear me out," Miroku said, spreading his hands in illustration. "Spells of obedience are tricky, it's either all or nothing. If something occurs that interferes with one, then that one will break."

"Oh!" Kagome said, excitedly. "I see now! All we have to do is make him sit, and the collar spell will break!"

"Exactly!" Miroku said. "Now all we have to do is get you inside the palace, Kagome."

Kagome gulped.

Space

Inuyasha and Shippo were actually managing to help Sesshomaru to live with his human emotions. After a couple days of alternately weeping and being angry, he seemed too worn out for further emoting. Walking around outside seemed to help him, and that's what they were doing when someone knocked on the gates.

Tala appeared and opened the smaller door, revealing a simply-dressed girl who looked rather tearful.

"Please, sir," she said, bowing several times. "Is there work to be done here in exchange for a place to sleep and meals? I can work very hard."

Tala looked surprised. "You'll have to see Lady Kimi if you wish to work," he said. "Follow me, please."

Inuyasha almost fell over in shock. The girl was Kagome! He almost didn't recognize her since she was wearing Sango's clothes and a kerchief over her hair, but it was her, all right. What did she think she was doing?

Space

Over the next few days, Inuyasha rarely saw Kagome. She was always fetching water, carrying things, or sweeping and scrubbing floors. He could tell Kimi had given her the place out of pity since the little furballs could already do all of that stuff. One thing they couldn't do, however, was give Kimi someone new to brag to. She often had Kagome come and clean her sitting room, and she would talk to her about her exploits. Inuyasha was having a "little chat" one day with Kimi until Kagome arrived for her afternoon duties, and he had the hardest time to keep from laughing aloud. Kimi was plainly boasting, but it seemed Kagome was hanging on her every word, even forgetting to complete her work. When Kagome began calling her "m'lady sorceress" and "powerful lady," he had to find somewhere to be alone and quick. Once by himself, he laughed until he was breathless, and went to tell Sesshomaru. It was rare that he laughed, but when he did, he laughed with a deep "ha ha ha!" with his head thrown back and a grin that threatened to crack his face. It was one way to cheer him up.

One afternoon, he, Sesshomaru, and Shippo went to "their" bower to have a private talk without anyone spying on them, but when they got there, they found it already occupied by Kagome. She was working on some mending but leapt to her feet when they arrived.

"At last!" she said thankfully. "Took ya long enough to get down here!"

Shippo ran to her and hugged her. "I'm glad to see you, Kagome!" he said, not quite wanting to let her go.

"I'm glad to see you, too," she said, returning his hug.

"What did you think you were doing, coming here?" Inuyasha demanded. "If she found out…"

"She won't," Kagome said, smiling. "She thinks I'm a silly little servant girl, and she won't think I'm anything else, especially since I'm _so_ impressed with her magic. We've worked something out."

All three were immediately all attention.

"What?" Sesshomaru breathed, hardly daring to hope.

She explained about the obedience spells, and then said that she had to contact Miroku and Sango. Shippo handed her the walkie-talkie, and she told them to be ready.

"We'll be able to take Inuyasha with us, but I don't know about the two of you," she said regretfully.

"You could probably take me, but you couldn't take Sesshomaru because of his collar," Shippo said. "I'll stay and keep him company."

Kagome gave the little kitsune a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"But what will you do once you're away?" Sesshomaru asked, sitting on his disappointment.

"Miroku's heard of a spell-breaker a few days' journey from here," she told them. "We'll go see her, and then we'll see if she can help us."

"Sounds like a plan," Inuyasha said as the walkie-talkie squawked three times.

"That's their signal," Kagome said, scooping up Inuyasha. "We have to get out in the open."

Sesshomaru and Shippo watched as Kagome and Inuyasha reached the middle of the garden and stopped. She put him down, looked up at the sky, set her jaw, took a deep breath and…

"SIT, BOY!"

WHAM!

_Crrrrrraccckkk!_

The fabric of the spell surrounding Inuyasha tore, and the collar snapped and fell from his neck. At the same time, Kirara, carrying Sango and Miroku and a protesting Jaken, swooped down and caught Kagome and Inuyasha up. They flew off, and Sesshomaru and Shippo heard Kimi scream in rage as one of her prisoners escaped her.


	14. Chapter 13

Author's Comments—

Thanks, everyone, for reviewing. And, for future reference, I'm pretty sure I'm not a moron, and reviews rock my little world!

Chapter 13

Inuyasha clung to Kagome, ecstatic and relieved that they had rescued him. Miroku and Sango said nothing, but they didn't have to, he knew that they were happy to see him. The wind whistled in his ears just a little bit, and he welcomed it. Anything was better than being held prisoner by that witch.

"Inuyasha?" he heard, some time later. Had he fallen asleep? He opened his eyes and found himself curled up on Kagome's sleeping bag. He looked up at her and saw that she was back in her school uniform.

"Hi," he said, smiling. "When did I fall asleep?"

"Shortly after we picked you up," Miroku said, looking at him. "I can't get used to you: You're so little."

"Thanks," Inuyasha growled, throttling his anger.

"Come on, you guys," Kagome broke in, playing peacemaker. "We have to go see that spell-breaker."

"Yes, but will she see us?" Sango asked. "She may not want to."

"I'm sure that once she learns I serve Lord Sesshomaru, she'd be happy to help," Jaken said proudly.

They all glared at him.

"Well, let's go, everyone," Kagome said, packing up her bag.

They set out, approaching the spot where her cottage was said to lie. Inuyasha walked a little ahead, trying to think. What would happen? What if he had to grow up again, or worse, was stuck like this forever? You could only get away with things by being cute if you were human—if you were a half-demon, you'd be screwed each time you went among regular humans or demons. If he were a full demon, he wouldn't have to worry, no one wanted to mess with a demon even if it were only a child. If he were a full demon child, some demoness would probably want to take charge of him until he grew up, and with a father like Inutaisho, they would probably seek _him_ out, knowing his parents were both dead. He sighed. If only.

He hadn't been watching where he'd been going and tripped over a tree root, falling onto something that was warm and soft. He started to get up, wondering what it was, but got the scare of his life when he realized that it was moving!

"Here now, here now," an old crone's voice grated. "What's all this?"

Inuyasha got up quick, and wished he'd been watching where he was going.

"Why don't you apologize?" the crone demanded, turning around, looking at all of them. "When I was young, oldsters were shown some respect! Why…?" she trailed off, staring at Inuyasha.

"I'm terribly sorry," Kagome said, stepping forward, "but—"

She was cut off by the old hag's screech, and Inuyasha found himself swept up into a hug that threatened to crush his rib cage. "He's so cute!" she gushed, playing with his ears and smoothing his hair back. "Oh, simply adorable! How would you like to come home with me?" she asked, smiling at him. "Hmmm? You could learn how to break spells, and I would feed you lots of good food, and in the winter my house is always warm."

Inuyasha stared at her, too surprised for words.

"Are you the spell breaker?" Miroku asked.

"Yes, yes," she said, distractedly. She was still trying to push Inuyasha's hair back. "If you've come to get a spell broken, I'm the one you want to see. Come along," she said, addressing Inuyasha. "You'll all stay with me tonight, and this little one and I will get to know one another." Leading him by the hand, she led the way up the path while his friends followed. He smiled the slightest bit. Sometimes, being cute really helped out, and apparently, it didn't matter if he were demon or human. All he had to be was cute.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Sesshomaru knew he was in trouble when Kimi's spell broke and Inuyasha was swept out of the garden by his friends. He felt the entire magic web of the palace and grounds heave and settle back into place, vibrating wildly. Kimi would have to be _dead_ not to notice it.

His human emotions went into full force then, making the idea of hiding seem very appealing. His demon mind screamed at him, telling him that he was Lord Sesshomaru and he did not need to hide from some witch. Shippo had noticed the flux as well and was looking distinctly worried.

"Do you think she'll be mad?" he whispered.

"I know she will be," he answered, fighting the urge to pace. What were they going to do? What would she do if she learned what they knew? He didn't want to think about it.

"Inuyasha!" they heard, and the sudden shout made them both jump. She was calling him, using all of the coercion she had. "Inuyasha! Come here! Inuyasha!"

Kimi rounded the corner and spotted them. "Where is Inuyasha?"

"He's gone," Sesshomaru said, pointing the way they had flown. "They came and took him."

"Who?" she demanded.

"A group of people," Sesshomaru said. "I didn't really see them all that well." That was somewhat the truth, he really hadn't. He didn't have to say that he'd seen them before.

"Why would they take him and not you?" she asked suspiciously.

Sesshomaru snorted, allowing his contempt for her to show. "Inuyasha and I were never _close_. You couldn't possibly think that we would share friends, could you?"

She glared at him, but she didn't have anything to say. He was right, after all.

"Where is Kagome?"

"They took her, too," Sesshomaru said, shrugging.

"You mean she and Inuyasha knew each other?" she almost wailed. "And I let that girl in here without a second thought?"

Sesshomaru thanked every spirit watching out for him that he felt no coercion to answer either question. If Kimi knew that he knew Inuyasha and Kagome had known each other previously, then he was one dead demon.

Sesshomaru held his breath as she suddenly swept away, no doubt heading to her spell room to try to repair the damage that Inuyasha's escape had made to the web. As soon as she had swept inside the palace, he sank to the ground in relief. Feeling a strange sensation in his hands, he looked at them, trying to figure out what was the matter. They were _shaking_. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to ignore the fluttery feeling in his stomach as he forced himself to take deep breaths. Why did that woman frighten him so much?

"Want one? It'll help with the shakes. I've gotten them, too." Shippo asked, holding something out to him. He looked and saw the little kitsune held out a bowl full of sakuramochi, sweet rice cakes.

"Where did you get those?" he asked, surprised.

"The kitchen," Shippo told him, smiling. "Where else?"

Sesshomaru smiled and helped himself to one, enjoying the sweet flavor. He would never admit it, but he liked sweet things. When got back to Jaken and Rin, he planned on having something sweet for them, as a thank you for waiting.

Space

Inuyasha covered his bowl, waving away the spell-breaker's offers of third helpings. He was quite full, and he was sure that if he ate anymore, he'd either be sick or explode. They had introduced themselves, and they learned her name of Kioko. Now Kioko was pouring tea for all of them, and asking what had brought them there.

"We came for your help, Lady Kioko," Miroku said. "We heard that you were a spell-breaker."

"That I am," she assured them. "What can I do for you?"

"Could you break the spell on me?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly desperate to be his normal self again.

She looked at him. "There's a spell on you?" She leaned closer, looking at him very carefully, and her eyes widened. "Ah. Kimi's work."

"You know about her?" Sango asked, looking up from her tea.

"Of course I do," Kioko told them. "She's my sister."

Everybody stared at her.

"We grew up in that palace together and learned our mother's magic, but she was more interested in manipulating people with it than in helping them." Kioko shook her head. "I should have been more careful and watched her more closely. She managed to drive me out some years ago, and only a few months ago she managed to take my son from me and bind him to her will. Now he lives only to do her bidding, tracking demons down and kidnapping them."

"Tala?" Inuyasha said, thinking of the wolf youth.

"You've met him, then?" Kioko asked, fixing her gaze on him. "How does he fare?"

"He seemed all right," Inuyasha said. "He looked well, but all he really talked about was his 'mistress.'"

Kioko nodded, sighing sadly.

"Could you break the spells she's put on Inuyasha?" Kagome persisted, suddenly worried.

"Of course, child," Kioko said, regarding Kagome with a wise air. "It will only take me a few moments to mix up a potion, but with this spell, you'll have to do something to make it break, little one."

"Like what?" Inuyasha asked, more eager than ever to be rid of the spell now that a cure was in sight.

"Why, something that a grown-up you would do, rather than a child you," she said, taking ingredients out of a covered basket and checking them. She turned and looked him in the eye. "Are you sure that you want to break it? I'd take good care of you, you know."

Inuyasha wasn't sure what made him do it, but he got up and hugged her. "I'm sure, lady. Having me this way would be like lying to yourself: I'm not a child that needs to be taken care of, and pretending to be would drive me mad and only sadden you. It wouldn't be fair for you, Lady Kioko. I'm certain that the spell needs to be broken."

She smiled, patted his hands, and set about to making the potion. While she chopped, measured, steeped, and stirred, she told him to think of something that his child self would never do but that his adult self would do. He thought about it, wishing that he could think of it, but each new activity he thought of seemed better to his child self. What could he do?

"Have you thought of something?" Kioko asked as she poured the potion into a cup.

His ears drooped. "I can't think of anything!" he cried as Kagome sat down next to him.

"I think I can," Kioko said and leaned down to whisper in his ear. He listened and smiled, nodding when she asked him if that would work.

"Good," she said, handing him the potion. "Drink it down and then do it."

"What'd you think of, Lady Kioko?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha gulped the potion down.

"This," Inuyasha said, jumping up and giving Kagome a kiss on the lips.

Everyone stared at them, Kagome and the little Inuyasha. She had once described him as a cold fish, but it looked like he had warmed up awfully quick. Miroku began counting, trying to keep track of how long the kiss was lasting, and smiled when he reached twenty. Inuyasha ended the kiss and leaned back, smiling, and suddenly, he started growing. Before their eyes he shot up, his hair grew longer, and his clothes regrew themselves to fit him. He looked like his old self.

He looked at Kagome and smiled at the surprised and pleased expression on her face, but then made a very big mistake. He opened his mouth. "How's that for a cold fish, huh, Kagome? Try to keep yourself under control, now."

Kagome's face suddenly looked like storm cloud. "SIT!"

"He had to say it," Miroku said as Inuyasha's face met the floor.

"Oww," Inuyasha complained as the spell let him up. "What'd you do that for, huh? I was just joking with you!"

She glared at him. "SIT!"

"Any chance of your breaking this spell?" Inuyasha pleaded as the spell let him up again.

"I'm afraid I can't, child," Kioko said, trying vainly to hide the amusement in her voice. "It's too strong a spell."

"You've gotta be-" he started saying, but Kagome's "SIT!" interrupted him.

"Kagome!" he shouted, trying to get her to quit.

"You jerk! SIT!" she snapped at him. "You ruined every bit of atmosphere in this place!"

Atmosphere? That thing she wanted between Miroku and Sango? Was that what she was so upset about? He peeked at her from his spot on the floor, seeing her fold her arms across her chest and glare at her feet. He stayed where he was, not wanting her to do it again. He'd liked not being 'sat' every few minutes while at Kimi's, but he liked being around Kagome more. What to do?

"Apologize, you little fool," Kioko whispered to him.

Inuyasha cautiously got up, sat on his haunches, and sidled up to Kagome. "Would it help if I said that I was sorry I was such a jerk?" he asked, half ready to duck and cover just in case she decided to 'sit' him again.

She looked at him, and he dropped to the floor so fast that she was surprised. Anticipating being 'sat,' huh? She smiled, and tweaked one of his ears. "Of course it would," she said, helping him up.

"Well, glad to see you two made up," Sango said, smiling. "Now what do we do?"

"We do the obvious, of course," Kagome said, looking at each of her friends in turn. "We take Kimi down and rescue Tala!"

Kioko stared at her. "Do you truly mean it, child?"

"Of course," Kagome assured her. "We can't let her keep doing this to people! We have to stop her, and we have to rescue Tala."

"I'm willing," Miroku said as Sango nodded.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha said, sounding worried. _I wonder if this would work, _he thought as she looked at him. "Sit!"

She glared at him, not in the least affected. "Scared?"

"No, just trying to make you see reason!" he countered. "How can we be sure we can defeat her?"

"We owe Lady Kioko," she hissed at him. "If you're not going to be a gentleman and help her, I'll make you be one! We're going to take her down!"

"How?" he asked. "I don't even know where to start! We could end up messing up the whole thing!"

"Oh, we'll think of something," Kioko said. "I know all the ways she works in, don't worry."

"Yeah, but-"

"SIT!"

Everyone sighed. If only Inuyasha would admit that he was just the slightest bit scared.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

After telling his friends all that he knew about Kimi, they and the old lady set out for Kimi's palace. A part of his brain was screaming for him to turn back, but his innate stubbornness kept him going. He was not going to appear weak a second time, and he had a score to settle with that witch! Imprisoning him, turning him into a child, a dozen other things, oh, she'd pay all right! When he was done with her, she'd be lucky if she could charm away warts, let alone cast a magic spell.

"What's the matter?" Kagome asked as they flew back. Kirara was giving them all a ride since Kioko was anxious to see her son.

"Just thinking about that witch."

"Oh," she said thoughtfully. "Did she ever tell you what she wanted you for?"

Inuyasha went to answer, but found that he couldn't. He didn't know exactly what she had wanted him or any demonother for since she had never really explained.

"Oh, I can tell you," Kioko said, turning her head back to regard them both.

"What do you mean? You know why she's been kidnapping demons?" Kagome asked.

"What other reason would she have?" Kioko said. "She's been kidnapping demons for the power they emanate. Their very proximity to her would allow her to harvest it for her own use. The only reason you haven't noticed it is because she hasn't taken very much from you since she has so many demons around her. She could use a pinch from each a day, and they wouldn't notice for a good long time. By the time the demons _did_ notice, they would have been too weak to really hurt her. As long as they continue living, demons give off energy that sorcerers can harvest."

Kagome felt Inuyasha shudder. Full demons could kill sorcerers easily, but for him it would be a challenge. They were mortal, but they dealt with magic. That was never a good combination since mortals didn't always know when to quit and often made mistakes, sometimes trapping others in those mistakes with them. He hoped that Kimi would be a pushover once they learned her weakness.

"So any ideas?" he asked, glaring at the older woman. "How are we gonna defeat her? I don't even know if she's vulnerable."

Kioko cackled. "My, listen to the lad!" she said. "Whose face was I washing just this afternoon, hmm? So grown up all of a sudden! Ha, ha, ha!"

"Come on, this is serious!" he almost snapped. Couldn't he get her to tell him anything he could use against Kimi? "We need to know all we can about her so we can stop her!"

"Ah, not to worry, lad, not to worry," Kioko said, fighting off laughter. "Her weakness is her power-remove her from the source of it, get her far enough away, battle her, and she will be helpless!"

"That simple, huh?" Inuyasha muttered, looking to his friends for their opinions.

"It seems as if it might work," Sango admitted, watching the terrain below.

"I agree," Miroku said thoughtfully.

"Don't you think that's a little too simple?" Inuyasha demanded before Kagome could give her thoughts on the matter. "She's probably thought of that and done something to protect herself!"

"Somehow I doubt that," Kioko said. "Kimi is very proud-if no one has attacked her so far, then she thinks no one will. If one demon rebels, that doesn't mean he'll rebel with friends at his side! No, the strategy I told you about will most likely work."

"But how will we get her to leave the castle?" Sango asked.

"And how do we make sure Tala doesn't try to help her?" Kagome put in.

"Simple," Miroku said, grinning. "We use bait."

Space

_NO,_ came Shippo's voice over the walkie-talkie. _Have you seen that guy's teeth? There's no way I'm distracting him for you! He'll bite me in two!_

"Come on, Shippo," Kagome pleaded to the little kitsune. "We need a diversion so we can trap Kimi."

_Then use a net to trap her and hang her from a tree! Wolves can't jump too high!_

"Tala can," Kioko said, supplying Kagome with needed ammunition.

Kagome smiled her thanks and kept pleading with Shippo.

"Okay, so we've got Tala taken care of, at least we do once that little runt agrees," Inuyasha said, scratching one ear. "How are we going to lure Kimi away?"

_Oh, ALL RIGHT!_ Shippo snapped. _BUT YOU OWE ME BIG!_

"Thank you, Shippo," Kagome said sweetly. "I'll call you back once we finish hashing out the plans."

Shippo muttered something noncommittal and cut off contact. Kagome smiled. "You just have to know what to promise him, that's all," she said happily.

"So what did you use to bribe him?" Sango asked, interested.

Kagome grinned. "Candy. What else?"

Inuyasha almost rolled his eyes. "Okay, so we've taken care of Tala. What about Kimi? How are we going to. . ." he trailed off, wondering why everyone was staring at him. It hit a moment later. "_ME?_"

"Who else?" Kagome asked. "You're the first one to get away and break her spell, of _course_ she'll want you back! She sees you, you run, she follows. Simple, see?"

Inuyasha kept staring. "That could go seriously wrong," he said, beginning to head out of the cave they were camped in.

"SIT, BOY!"

_Wham._

"What'd you do that for?" he demanded.

"Weren't you running away?" Kagome asked, surprised.

"NO! I was going out to see how much darkness we have left!"

"Oh. Whoops. Sorry!"

Inuyasha just glared at her.


	17. Chapter 16 Lady Kimi's Spellwork

A/N: I know it's short, but it's supposed to be!

Chapter 17Lady Kimi's Spellwork

Kimi was holed up in her workroom, desperately searching for Inuyasha. She wasn't about to let the hanyou get away, not after all of her hard work to bind him there. What she couldn't understand was how he had allowed himself to be carried off! That spell should have made him completely loyal to her, and that included not wishing to leave! How could he have left? She had already talked to Sesshomaru, but she had a feeling that she had learned all that she could from him. He wasn't garrulous by any means.

Shaking off a feeling of disappointment and anger, Kimi turned back to her work. Perhaps if she learned a bit more about the brothers, then she would understand why her spell had failed to hold Inuyasha. She twined a strand of Sesshomaru's hair and a strand of Inuyasha's together and dropped both into a pan of a potion she had made. It would tell her anything she wished to know about the brothers' pasts…

The potion glowed white and showed her an image, something they both had in common. She gasped, unwilling to believe it, but began to smile. This was interesting. Perhaps she could use this to her advantage. Perhaps it would be a way to gain more power from the both of them. Smiling, she began to set another spell in motion. . .


	18. Chapter 17Lady Kimi's Spellwork

To my reviewers:

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Chapter 17

Shippo had pretty much moved in with Sesshomaru, trying to keep him company and save him from feeling overwhelmed by his human emotions, and Sesshomaru was glad of it. The little demon had the talking box that he'd said had come from that strange girl, and that meant that they had contact with the outside world. Shippo was shouting at it at the moment, and it was with a scowl that he put it away.

"What's the matter?" Sesshomaru asked the little kit. "You look upset about something."

Shippo looked at him. "They want me to be a decoy for Tala while they take out Kimi."

Sesshomaru stared. "Could you say that again? I don't think I heard that correctly."

Shippo repeated it, and Sesshomaru kept staring. He'd heard it right. "Do you think that'll work?"

"I hope it will," Shippo said, sounding grumpy. "If not, we'll be in serious trouble."

Tacitly, Sesshomaru agreed with him. If Kimi defeated Inuyasha and his friends, then they were trapped there forever.

Space

Shippo perched on top of the wall the following evening, waiting for Tala to come outside. He liked to wander around the garden in the evenings, and Shippo knew that if he saw the little kitsune take off, he would pursue him and take him back to his mistress. Kagome had said that he had to use all of his cleverness tonight to make sure that he got Tala far enough away and kept him too busy to come to Kimi's aid.

_What should I do?_ Shippo wondered. _Should I pretend that I thought Kimi didn't like me anymore and that I had run away to make her worry? Should I pretend that a demon had scared or bullied me, and I had run away from him? Should I taunt him and then run? Use foxfire? Change my shape to look like_ Shippo stopped in midthought, amazed at his own genius. _I'll make myself look like Inuyasha! He'll be so excited to catch him for Kimi that he won't even think that it might be a trick!_

Shippo pulled out the walkie-talkie and called Kagome.

"_Shippo?"_ he heard.

"Kagome, I've come up with a plan!" Shippo said excitedly. "I'm going to make myself look like Inuyasha and get Tala to chase me!"

A moment of silence. _"Shippo, that's brilliant!" _Kagome gushed. _"They won't know who's chasing who!"_

"Does Inuyasha still look like a child, or is he back to normal now?" Shippo asked, just to make sure.

"_He's back to normal,"_ Kagome said.

"Great," Shippo said, grinning. "I'll get ready. Good luck, you guys!"

_"Thanks, Shippo. Good luck to you, too!"_

Shippo put the walkie-talkie away inside his jacket and smiled. Looking around, he found the branches of a tree to hide in and slipped inside. He could hear Tala coming, so he changed his appearance. An arrogant Inuyasha stepped out once Tala was in the garden, and he was spotted instantly.

"You!" Tala said, surprised.

"Hey, Tala," Shippo said. "Long time no see! Still stickin' around here?"

"I am loyal to my mistress."

"Feh. Looks more like you're loyal to a witch."

Shippo heard Tala growl, and he took off, praying that Tala wasn't as fast as he seemed.

Space

Kagome was up on the hillside, staring at the palace through her binoculars. Seeing Shippo run off with Tala in hot pursuit, she smiled and headed back into their cave.

"Okay, we only have to give him a little more time to get Tala further away, and then we can go down there and deal with Kimi," she said, packing up her bag.

"I hope this works," Miroku said, pacing. "If not, we could have some serious trouble."

"Don't remind me," Inuyasha said, leaning against the cave wall.

"We'll do it," Sango said, finishing with her armor. "She won't win against all of us."

Kioko smiled. "I can't say that I hate her, but I don't approve of what she's doing," she said. "It's part of my responsibility to stop her."

"Don't worry, we'll stop her," Kagome said, pulling out her bow and arrows. "Shall we go?"

Space

Kimi was in her workroom, smiling at what she had learned about Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. The spell she had set up would take a while to come to any fruition, but it would work eventually, binding them both to her more surely than anything else. Once that happened, they would have no chance of breaking away from her, no matter how much time passed or what they tried. Perhaps, if Inuyasha was good, she'd give him his true age back, and if Sesshomaru behaved, perhaps she'd take away his human emotions. It seemed as if he'd learned his lesson: He'd been polite and obedient for days now. That was much better than the snarls he used to give her.

A blow rocked the palace, and she gasped, shocked that anything could or would attack her. Jumping up, she rushed outside, trying to see what it was.

"Hey! Hey, Kimi, you ugly witch!" she heard. It sounded like Inuyasha! Looking up to the top of the gates, she saw him standing there, brandishing a large, fang-like sword.

"Inuyasha!" she shouted. "Put that sword away and come down here!"

He laughed. "You don't order me, witch!" With that, he leapt off the gate and headed off. "Come on, witch!" she heard. "Let's see how well you can fight me!"

Furious, Kimi went after him, determined to teach him a lesson.

Space

_I have to be outta my mind,_ Inuyasha thought as he leaped through the forest. His time as a prisoner haunted him like an unhappy spirit, and doing this only made that spirit more distinct. What if she defeated him?

_She won't,_ he thought grimly. _I refuse to be a lap dog again. She's not going to turn me into some kind of pet!_

Keeping count in his head, Inuyasha reached a distance that Kioko had assured him would lessen her power considerably. Going just a touch further for good measure, he turned and attacked.

Somehow, she was ready for him. She dodged, ducked, and lashed out at him with such a blow that his breath was knocked out of his body. Every nerve within him was screaming, and he felt himself hit the ground.

"Foolish boy," she said, lighting on a tree branch. "You are no match for me. Do you wish to yield and beg forgiveness, or would you like to be punished again?"

Snarling, Inuyasha picked himself up and used the Wind Scar, not about to do anything she suggested. She dodged that as well, and another blow rocked him to the earth once more.

"My, my, you still haven't learned, have you?" she said, sounding disappointed. "I am your mistress now, and you obey me!"

"Not likely," he said, getting back up. "Now!"

She stared at him, thinking he had lost his mind, but a large boomerang from out of nowhere convinced her that he had brought friends and was not as alone as she had thought.

"What is this?" she shouted, demanding an explanation.

A monk came out from cover and attacked her, allowing her no time to regain her control of the battle. Another strike from Inuyasha caused her to shield, and most of her reserve power was gone. Furious, she called up another strike to teach these insolent fools a lesson, but a demon-cat attacked, knocking her out of the sky. Narrowly missing the boomerang as she fell, she shrieked her defiance, ready to kill. How dare they attack her like this! How _dare_ they!

An arrow from the right lodged itself in her shoulder, causing her more pain than she had ever felt. Shrieking again, she called up bolts of power to throw at them. They would regret that they had ever attacked her!

"Not this time, sister," she heard. Looking up, she stared at Kioko, the sister she'd felt was too weak to oppose her. She felt the beginnings of a spell take hold, and then tear the illusions of beauty and power she'd wrapped around herself.

Strikes from Inuyasha, another arrow, claws from the cat, and attacks from the monk and another girl ended the spells she'd been using to maintain herself. Shrieking, cursing, and determined to hurt Inuyasha as much as possible, she lashed out with a final spell, striking him squarely in the chest and sending him across the clearing. Using one last mote of power, she flew up into the sky, disappearing moments later.

Space

Shippo collapsed a moment after Tala did, gasping for breath. For some reason, Tala had caved in on himself and was now lying on the ground in his human form. His breathing was funny, but at least he no longer was chasing him.

"Shippo!" he heard, and he looked up, seeing everyone and Kirara coming in for a landing.

"What happened?" Kagome asked, hopping off of Kirara's back.

"He just fell over," Shippo said, changing back into his usual form. "I don't know what's wrong."

An old lady that had to be the spellbreaker looked at Tala, nodded, and said, "It's backlash from Kimi's defeat. He'll be all right." She slipped off her cloak and wrapped it around Tala, smiling.

"Yay!" Shippo said, hopping up and down. "I knew you could beat her!"

Shippo was in mid-leap when something _heaved_ and settled back, leaving everything very quiet.

"The holding spells on all of the demons are broken," Kioko explained. "That was what we felt. Look!" she said, pointing up into the sky. "They're all flying away."

She was right. The sky was filled with demons heading off in countless directions, howling and shrieking with freedom.

Rustling in the bushes startled them all, and they breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was only Sesshomaru.

"Is she dead?" he asked, walking up.

"We don't know," Kagome admitted. "She disappeared, and all of her spells are broken."

"I hope she's dead," Sesshomaru said. "The kit said that you had a spellbreaker with you. Are you she?" he asked, addressing Kioko.

"I am," Kioko said, gazing directly into Sesshomaru's eyes. "You wish me to break a spell, I take it?"

He nodded. "Please. I beg you to. She gave me human emotions, and I cannot endure them any longer."

Kioko nodded, smiled, and said, "Look into my eyes."

Sesshomaru looked, and was unable to look away.


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers!

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Chapter 19

"Sesshomaru?"

The demon didn't stir, but he heard his name. The last thing he could remember had been looking into that old woman's eyes. What had happened? Why couldn't he see? Why couldn't he move? What was wrong with him?

"Peace, child," he heard. "He will be all right as soon as his eyes are open. His emotions are returning, and that is what holds him immobile."

Hearing this, Sesshomaru directed all of his strength towards his eyes and tried to open them. He managed it on the fifth try. He could see that he was lying on his back, and sunshine was shining through the branches above him, speckling the forest floor. A slight breeze was blowing, ruffling the hair around his face. Everything was quiet and peaceful, as if that nightmare of the palace and witch had never happened.

"Hey, his eyes are open," Shippo said, leaping to Kagome's side happily. "Is he all right now?" he asked Kioko.

"He should be," she said, smiling. "How do you feel, young man?"

Sesshomaru stared at her, shocked at her temerity by her calling him "young man," but he realized that it was only demon outrage, and not the stronger fire of human anger.

"How dare you!" Jaken croaked. "His name is 'Lord Sesshomaru,' you silly woman! You should be more respectful!"

"Quiet, Jaken," he snapped, relieved and a little annoyed to see his henchman. "I feel . . .normal," he said, rising to his feet and allowing himself a smile. "Thank you."

"You are welcome," Kioko said. She received the surprise of her life when Sesshomaru's eyes turned red and he began growling.

"What's the matter?" she asked, surprised and a little angry. Why should he snarl at her? Hadn't she helped him?

"What is _he_ doing here?" Sesshomaru demanded, glaring at Tala's supine form on the ground behind Kioko.

"Relax, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said quickly. "Tala was under a spell, too. He's Lady Kioko's son."

Sesshomaru glared at his brother, but the anger faded from his face. "I apologize," he said to Kioko. "I meant no disrespect to you."

Inuyasha stared at his brother. Since when had he been so polite to mortals? Was this a side effect of being under Kimi's spells? Perhaps he had decided to change? Almost snorting at that false hope, Inuyasha decided not to mention Sesshomaru's change at all.

"That's perfectly all right," Kioko said. "I must thank all of you for helping me to defeat Kimi and regain my son. I would not have been able to do it without your help."

"Thank you for removing the spells on me," Sesshomaru said.

"I thank you as well," Inuyasha said. "You're a great mother."

Sesshomaru glanced at Inuyasha, wondering what that had to do with anything, but he stayed quiet. Perhaps it was something between the two of them.

"You are all welcome," Kioko said. "May I ask one favor of you?"

"Certainly," Sango said, smiling. "What is it?"

"I need help getting my son home. May I trouble you?"

Smiling, everyone nodded, and Kirara mewed and grew to her larger size.

Space

Rin was fetching water for Lady Kaede when a shadow fell across the ground in front of her.

"Rin," she heard.

She turned and saw Lord Sesshomaru, who sank to one knee and held out his arms. Dropping the bucket and sloshing water everywhere, Rin flew into his embrace, crying. "Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru! I knew you would come back to me!" she wailed, burying her face in his shoulder. His arms were wrapped around her, and he didn't seem to mind that his shoulder was getting wet and sniffley, or that Rin was soaked from the water. He seemed perfectly content to hold her and reassure her.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, I made you a present," Rin said, sniffing and standing up to reach inside her sleeve for something. Finding it, she pulled it out and presented it to him. He took it and unwrapped it to see what it was.

It was an embroidered sash made out of simple linen, and the stitches were a little crooked, but he promptly wrapped it around his waist and tied it. "Thank you, Rin. It's wonderful." He hugged her again.

"That's too cute," Kagome sighed. "She really loves him, and I can tell he loves her."

"Just never say so to him," Inuyasha cautioned her. "He'd deny it."

"Oh, the secret's safe with me," she said, giving him a hug. "Let's go let Kaede know we're all right," she suggested as Jaken began to tell Rin off for getting their lord all soggy. Ignoring the little toad-like demon, Sesshomaru picked Rin up and held her. Anyone could tell that he was glad to see the little girl again.

Space

Late that night, Inuyasha woke, feeling strange. Kaede had fixed a large meal to celebrate their return, but he knew that he hadn't eaten so much as to make himself sick. What was wrong with him?

He went outside, hoping a breath of fresh air would make him feel better. Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Rin had left an hour after supper, saying that they had to get going. Sesshomaru had thanked Lady Kaede, and she had replied that he was welcome any time. Inuyasha hoped that Sesshomaru wouldn't come around too often, or they'd start to hate one another again.

Sitting down on the grass, Inuyasha gazed up at the stars, wishing he could feel better. Was it just his eyes, or was it getting misty?

Inside Kaede's hut, Kagome sat up, feeling that something was wrong. Where was Inuyasha?

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Rushing outside, everyone stopped to stare at a young man who was sitting on the grass.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said in disbelief.

"I…I…" he croaked, staring at his hands. "I don't believe it! It's not even the new moon!"

Inuyasha was human.


End file.
